Grape harvester with beaters adjustable for different row widths

ABSTRACT

A harvester especially for grapes wherein sets of beaters (4, 5) on each side of the harvester are adapted to be used in unison to effect a beating action to remove fruit from plants being harvested, with devices (35, 36) to change a relative position of respective pivot supports (29) for each respective set of the beaters (4, 5) while the sets of beaters (4, 5) are in a beating mode and operating. A hydraulic ram arrangement (35, 36) that facilitates this by being able to be over the grape collection area without hydraulic connection fittings and flywheels that are supported on sub frames in a way that will not unduly prejudice the beating action. An arrangement for detecting changes in pressure of the beaters and arranging for a change in position of support of the beaters in response.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to harvesters and in particular to grapeharvesters of a type using beaters.

Support means to synchronously drive sets of beaters for both sides ofvines when harvesting grapes have these sets supported from, for eachside, a sub frame which is supported from an uppermost pivot supportaligned to rotate about a forward to rearward direction while having asubstantially horizontally aligned axis.

Such an arrangement allows for a small amount of relative lateraladjustment with however resultant significant-angular changes indirection of beating action.

These implicitly change as the vines at a location in the row are wideror narrower with resultant loss of beater grape removal effectiveness.

A first problem then is to facilitate the reduction in the possibleangular variation in a way that will enable rapid changes to provide forimproved efficiency.

The drive of the beater sets on each side of a vine is not so simple.

One problem is to ensure that the beater sets from each respective sideact together in unison or in phase so as to move the vine from side toside at substantial speed to effect removal of the grapes.

A second problem results from the need to use flywheels to effect anaveraging of drive force from an economic drive motor.

The problem here is that in order to reduce transmission forces overlonger distances a flywheel needs to be as close as possible to theoutput for each set of beaters but in existing arrangements the positionof the flywheels has caused problems that have further requiredconstraints in support systems.

A further problem is to provide a mechanical arrangement which isefficient from the point of view of ease of control and secondly cost ofimplementation and in so far that this involves hydraulic rams, anunderstanding that hydraulic rams can be used in this application In away Which would normally not be considered appropriate for collection offruit for wine making.

The problem is to offer a solution to at least some of these problems orat least offer the public a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to this invention there is proposed a grape harvesterincluding a frame to straddle a vine and means to move the harvesteralong the vine while straddling the vine, a first set of beaters withbeaters extending inwardly and rearwardly from a first side of the frameand a second set of beaters with beaters extending inwardly andrearwardly from an opposite side of the frame, means to effectsynchronous to and fro action of both sets of beaters to effect therebymovement of the vine to effect removal of grapes therefrom,characterised in that the first set of beaters is supported from a firstsub frame which is supported from an upper pivot on a first support andthe second set of beaters is supported by a second sub frame whichsecond sub frame is supported from an upper pivot on a second support,and there are means comprising hydraulic rams to move the said first andsecond supports closer together or further apart.

This then allows for very quick adjustment of the distance apart of thebeaters and as such this implicitly changes the angle of the beaters sothat this can be more easily adjusted to improve efficiency of removalof grapes.

One problem with use of hydraulic rams in this application is that byreason of the application the ram or rams need to be above a grapecollection area. If the slightest leak of hydraulic fluid occurs fromany joint or connection then this can have the result that all of thegrapes collected for wine making can be contaminated with substantialeconomic loss.

Hydraulic pipes and joints have a high risk of leaking and as suchsuggest that the option of this answer is not a good risk option.

In preference there is provided a single shaft and two hydrauliccylinders each surrounding a selected length of the shaft so that theaction of the hydraulic pressure is to change the position of therespective cylinder along the length of the shaft.

In preference the respective supports are supported by the respectivecylinders.

In preference the connections to the cylinders for access of hydraulicfluid are by way of connections only at a respective outer end of thecylinder so that a location of any connection is not thereby above agrape collection area.

In preference the beater sets are driven through for each side aflywheel with the flywheel supported by the respective sub frame forrotation of the wheel about its central axis which is orientated to betransverse to a forward to rearward direction and approximatelyhorizontal.

This has the result that precessional torces are constrained by the subframe support system described and not substantially transferred toalter or effect motion of the beaters.

The feature that there are means to move the said first and secondsupports closer together or further apart means that in contradiction towhat has previously been the case the distance apart can be changedwhile the harvester is operating. This allows the support positions tobe changed very quickly and to allow these changes to be effected on therun. Because the hydraulic system with the preferred features can ensurea clean result the whole concept becomes viable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of this invention this will now be describedwith reference to a preferred embodiment which shall be described withthe assistance of drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a grape harvester according to theembodiment with however some of the pieces removed to allow for a betterappreciation of the features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sub frame with flywheel and some ofthe hydraulic support system this being a part of the embodiment asshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a further perspective of some of the elements as shown in theembodiment as in FIG. 1 in this case this being an overhead view of thebeaters being supported by their respective sub frames and the supportfor these;

FIG. 4 is a view from beneath the machine showing the elements of thebeater drive shaft and connections thereto, and some of the overheadhydraulic ram support system; and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view through one of the hydraulic rams againas is used in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring in detail to these drawings, the grape harvester 1 includesappropriate ground engaging wheels such as 2 and 3 and a frame 4 whichis intended to be used to straddle vines and by reason of sets ofbeaters shown in FIG. 3 at 4 and 5 effect by reason of unison driving ofthese, rapid movement of the vines between them so as to effect removalof grapes by this rapid acceleration movement given to the vines.

There are appropriate collection means and storage means associated withthe harvester which are not shown in that they are known and they arenot directly relevant to the invention.

Each set of beaters and we will take one of these at 5 comprisesindividual beaters of fibre glass shown at 6 the two ends of the beatersbeing joined together to form a long loop.

The base of each of the loops is supported by a support plate 7 which inturn is driven with rapid oscillatory motion about its pivot supportshown at 8 and 9 in the one case and 10 and 11 in the other by arms 12and 13. We are describing the support on one side but there are, inrespect of the other side, beaters such as the set at 4 an equivalentsystem and here the respective sets are supported by their respectivesupport plates 14 and 15.

This beating motion is effected through motor 16 which drives in the onecase the beater set 6 by driving through toothed belt 17 shaft 18 whichcarries with it flywheel 19 and two eccentric roller bearing systems at20 which operate synchronously rods 21 and 22 in unison.

This whole assembly is supported by sub frame 23 which is supported bypivotal connections 24 and 25 from a support frame 26.

To effect synchronous action with the set of beaters at 4, the motor 16is connected through a series of extendible shafts shown at 26A,universal connections at 27, further extendible shafts at 28 to connectwith a further toothed belt which is not shown which in turn drives anidentical system to that shown in FIG. 2 on the other side that is whichincludes a flywheel, eccentrics and so on.

The sub frame in the other case likewise is supported in the same wayand in each case, the shaft supporting the flywheel and therefore theflywheel has a central axis the orientation of which is first of allthat it is transversely orientated to a forward to aft direction that isit is substantially at right angles to the forward direction of thevehicle 1, and secondly it is approximately horizontal.

The extent of horizontality depends of course upon the relative positionof the sub frame in the case of the one side at 23 and the other whichis not shown, but is more or less within 5 to 10 degrees from time totime of horizontality or at least when the orientation on which it isbeing supported is horizontal when it is being used.

It has been discovered and understood that the orientation of the shaftand therefore the spinning flywheel if it is moved inward or outwardlyby swinging appropriate pivot supports at 24 and 25, tend to be taken upby the appropriate forces within the frame and the effect is not todirectly interfere with the continuity of the beating action.

This further has the advantage that the forces to support the respectivesub frames can be reasonably considered in terms of reasonable hydraulicrams in the application.

The way in which the respective sub frames are supported that is the subframes 23 and 29 are that these work by being supported by supports at26 and 30 which in turn are supported at their respective ends by slidesshown at 31 and 32 on the one side and 33 and 34 on the other.

The relative position of these however is governed by the hydraulic rams35 and 36 which are unusual in that they comprise a cylinder in eachcase surrounding a common shaft at 37. A further feature of these ramswhich is explained in FIG. 5 is that they do not have any fittingsdirectly over a grape collection area which might generally be shown at38 so that the possibility of even accidental drips of hydraulic fluidwill be reduced.

To achieve this, there is provided for the outer end of the hydraulicram at 39 a hydraulic fluid access conduit at 40 which is drilled fullythrough the shaft 37 and is therefore connected to this only at theouter end at 41.

This problem is not so critical at the outer end for the other end ofeach of the rams so that at 42, the fitting at 43 is a conventionalfitting

The results of the features described is that the distance apart of thesub frames 23 and 29 can now be changed while the harvester isharvesting grapes which is to say that the harvester can now have thisadjustment made on the run.

This provides significant advantage to operators in that they can nowtest various settings while the harvester is operating to get themaximum effective location and degree of pressure applicable from thebeater sets and therefore optimise the harvesting effect.

As was previously stated, the use of the flywheels in the position shownhas assisted in making this a better system.

One further advantage achieved from the arrangement described is thatthe pressures that can now be detected in the hydraulic fluid of thehydraulic rams can now be used to sense the degree of pressure beingapplied by the beaters and there can be provided automatic control ofthese or an automated change process so that an optimum position can begained automatically.

The invention has been described with one form of harvester and has beenreferred to as a grape harvester.

The principles are applicable to any harvesting using this generalconcept and harvesting of sultanas or any other fruit with a similarsystem can of course be incorporated within this invention.

Further, the invention is directed to the method of harvesting of grapesusing a machine of the type being described wherein sets of beaters oneach side of the harvester are adapted to be used in unison to effect abeating action, where there are means to change the relative position ofthe beaters from being a first distance apart to a second distance apartwhile the beaters are in a beating mode and operating.

What is claimed is:
 1. A grape harvester comprising a frame to straddlea vine and means to move the harvester along the vine while straddlingthe vine, a first set of beaters extending inwardly and rearwardly froma first side of the frame and a second set of beaters extending inwardlyand rearwardly from an opposite side of the frame, means to effectsynchronous to and fro action of both sets of beaters to effect therebymovement of the vine to effect removal of grapes therefrom, wherein thefirst set of beaters is supported from a first sub frame which issupported from an upper pivot on a first support and the second set ofbeaters is supported by a second sub frame which second sub frame issupported from an upper pivot on a second support, and hydraulic meansconnected to the frame for moving said first and second supports closertogether or further apart, wherein the hydraulic means comprises asingle shaft and two hydraulic cylinders each surrounding a selectedlength of the shaft, each cylinder being connected to one of saidsupports so that the action of hydraulic fluid on a cylinder chances theposition of that cylinder and the support to which it is connected alongthe length of the shaft.
 2. A grape harvester as in claim 1, whereinhydraulic fluid connections to the cylinders for access of hydraulicfluid are by way of connections only at a respective outer end of thecylinder so that a location of any connection is not thereby immediatelyabove a grape collection area.
 3. A grape harvester as in claim 1,wherein the beater sets are connected to be driven through, for eachside, a flywheel with the flywheel supported by the respective sub framefor rotation of the flywheel about its central axis which axis isorientated to be transverse to a forward or rearward direction of theharvester and approximately horizontal when the harvester is being usedon level ground.
 4. A grape harvester as in claim 1, wherein each set ofbeaters comprises a plurality of beaters, each beater comprising a loopwith respective ends thereof joined together.
 5. A grape harvester as inclaim 4, wherein a base of each of the loops is supported by a supportplate which in turn is adapted to be driven with rapid oscillatorymotion about a pivot support connected to a respective sub frame.
 6. Agrape harvester as in claim 3, including a motor for driving theflywheel by means of a toothed belt.
 7. A grape harvester as in claim 6,wherein the central axis of the flywheel includes two eccentric rollerbearing systems which operate synchronously via rods which are supportedby a respective sub frame.
 8. A grape harvester as in claim 3, whereinan extent of horizontality when the harvester is supported on a levelsurface is within 10 degrees of horizontal.
 9. A grape harvester as inclaim 1, including means for detecting changes in the pressure of thehydraulic fluid of the hydraulic cylinders for sensing an extent ofpressure being applied by the beaters and means for activating thehydraulic cylinders to bring the first and second supports for the setsof beaters closer together or further apart in response to said detectedpressure.